Dowel bar and expansion joint strip holder



Sept. 20, 1938. J. w. HELTZEL 2,130,953

DOWEL BAR AND EXPANSION JOINT STRIP HOLDER Filed April 10, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l HELTzE-L,

pt. 20, 1938. J. w. HELTZEL 2,130,953

DOWEL BAR AND EXPANSION JOINT STRIP HOLDER J.\/\/.HELTZEL7 K: 1%WWW Patented Sept. 20, 1938 PATENT OFFICE .DOWEL BAR AND EXPANSION JOINT STRIP HOLDER Joseph William Heltzel, Warren, Ohio Application April 10, 1935, Serial No. 15,714

.7 Claims.

The present invention relates to a device for use in:r0ad building and the like, and has for an object 170 provide a portable holder or frame which "will hold :in proper relative vpositions a number of dowel or reinforcing bars and willalso hold 'an expansion :joint strip in proper relation to the 'bars isot'hat the holder or frame :may be, bodilyiplaced on the subgrade of aroad, the road materiarfilled in about the bars and joint strip and the holderthen released from the bars and strip and withdrawn from the filled-in road.

Another object of this invention is -to provide aiframe orzholder with means .for releasabl-y holdingzorslocking the dowe1=bars and the joint strip on 'the holderand in proper relative positions, so that the organization may beset up at one side of the .road or on the road bed itself and may then be transferred and adjusted 'into proper position for holding-the strip'and the=bars=in their :final positions :duringthe pouring or filling in of-the roadlmateriahand wherein .the frame :may be released from-.the-strip andthebarsandwlthdrawn'sfrom thedilled inmaterialwithoutrdisturbing the positions of the strip and barssotthat they may remain in their .finallpositions.

The invention alsoprovides animproved structure-of framewhich may be used-:inmultiple :or may be repeatedly used and-whichsuppor'ts the longitudinal bars in such relation to the frame that the bars may be overlapped to the desired extent to aeifectzthe :necessary reinforcement :in .the finished road'slabs orbody.

The invention also :aims at certain detail-:and novel structural features to provide :a 'frameaor holder which is 'of skeleton form :to admit the road material thereabout and therethrough :and which isstron'g and durable and provided with operating: means easily-accessible from the upper side or-part of the frame.

Another object-of the "present invention :to provide a frame :with a single locking and releasing :device which will operate on both the bars and .theexpansion j oint=-strip-so as to simultaneously :lock'the same to the frame for-trans- .portation and adjustment with the frame and which: may beoperated to simultaneously release both the bars-and=thestrip when-thexframesis to be removed therefrom.

A further feature of the present invention is to provide an improved reinforcing and .holding meansior theexpansion strip which may-be.removed with the frame,.or which may remain .in engagement .with the .expansionjoint strip .after Itheframe'is removed "for reinforcing and protect- 'ing the "strip against injury and] distortion inci- .to the=under side -of the :frame.

dent .to the screedingzof the road material by the finishing machine passing over the road.

Withthe foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed 'out :5 in the claims appended :hereto.

Inthe drawings, wherein like symbols refer .to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure .1 is a top plan view of a combined dowel r bar and expansion joint holder showing the expansion joint stripand the dowel bars in position thereon.

Figure .2 :is I a side elevation of the same.

Figure -3 :is a longitudinal section taken through 15 the holder on substantially the line .33-0f Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the holder, showing the joint strip brace and carrier locked to the holder.

Figure -5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1 through the intermediate portion of the holder.

:Figure 6-.isa detail .perspective view of one'of the-cross braces-or members of theholder, and 5 'Figure 7 is-a fragmentary perspective view of one .end of the locking and releasing means for both the strip and the dowel bars.

Referring now to the drawings, the frame or body portion of the holder-comprises a pair of .30 side-strips :l-5 whichaare of suitable length, which are of the-desired depth to give stability to the frame and whicharedisposed'edgewise in-a vertical position and held. in substantially parallel spaced :apart relation by cross pieces I 6.

As shown inFigure 6 particularly, each cross piece 4.6 maycomprise a sheet metal plate having right angularly turnedflanges 1 lat opposite-ends suitably apertured neartheir upper edges for the reeeptionbf rivets l8'or-thelike which also pass .throughthe-adjacent portions of the side strips -|.5 for holding the flanges 1.! against the inner sides thereof. .-Each flange H is provided at its lower edge, and preferably adjacent the body of thecrosspiece lii'with a downwardly opening I slotor seat l9 for the reception of atransversely disposed-dowel or-cross bar20 adapted to be held These seats 19 insure the desired transverse alinement of the .dowel bar .20 in the underside of the frame.

The intermediate or central portion of the cross piece 16 .is provided with a downwardly opening slot 21 adapted to receive therein an expansion joint strip 22 which may be constructed of asphaltic material, or other suitable material adapted to provide an expansion joint between adjacent road slabs or sections. The slot 2| opens at its upper end into an enlarged cavity or recess 23 suitably proportioned and shaped to receive and guide certain devices hereinafter described. The dowel or cross bars 20 are adapted to be mounted in multiple upon the frame or holder, as shown in Figure l, and it is preferable to space these dowel bars 20 apart lengthwise of the frame at relatively short distances which, for example, may be placed at one foot apart. It is inadvisable to provide a cross piece l6 at each dowel bar 28, therefore, on account of the additional Weight'of the holder or frame and because such additional strengthening of the holder is not required. For this reason the side strips 24 are provided, intermediately of the cross pieces l6, with depending seat plates 24 which are riveted or otherwise suitably secured to the inner sides of the strips 15 and which extend downwardly a distance equal substantially to that of the flanges I1 and are provided in their lower ends with similar downwardly opening seats or slots I9.

Provision is thus made for supporting the intermediate cross'bars 20, and all of the seats I9 are of substantially the same height with re: spect to the lower edges of the frame. I

The frame is adapted to carry longitudinal dowel bars 25 at opposite sides, and these dowel bars are disposed across the under sides of the opposite end portions of the dowel cross bars 23 so that the latter areheld up in their seats l9 by the longitudinal bars 25 when the latter are held in raised position, The seats l9 thus provide means for limiting the upward movement of all of the dowel bars so as to hold the same at the desired height on the frame whichis determined by the depth to which the dowel bars are to be embedded in the finished road structure.

Each cross piece I6 is provided with a pair of holding arms 26 which are substantially of bell crank construction and are mounted at their angle portions upon pivots 21, which may be bolts, rivets or the like, carried upon the cross piece 16 at opposite sides of the recess 23. The arms 26 have their shorter portions directed toward the slot 2| so that they approach but effectively clear the opposite sides of the expansion joint strip 22 when the latter is disposed in the slot 2|. The longer portions of the arms 26 extend downwardly and outwardly of the frame and project through the seats or slots !9 at the sides of the frame and have upturned shoulders or fingers 28 adapted for engagement beneath the longitudinal bars 25 to raise the same as the outer ends of the arms 26 are swung upwardly so as to raise the dowel bars 25 and 20 into their upper positions on the frame. It will be noted, particularly from Figure 5, that the premolded asphaltic joint strip 22 is provided with'openings 29 therethrough for the reception of the intermediate portions of the cross dowel bars 23. This is for the purpose of obtaining the desired relation between the dowel bars and the joint strip and at the same time to hold or raise the joint strip 22 with the cross or transverse dowel bars 2!! under the action of the arms 26. The inner or shorter ends of the arms 26 extend substantially horizontally inward at their free ends and engage pairs of cams 30 which are slidably disposed through the recess 23 of the cross piece 7 As shown particularly in Figure 7, each pair of cams may comprise the downturned sides of U-shape shoes or cam members which may be constructed of sheet metal and which may be creased at its upper intermediate portion for mounting over a shiftable operating rod 3! which also extends through the recess 23 of the cross piece Hi.

This rod 3| is continued throughout substantially the length of the holder or frame and passes through each of the cross pieces l6, and is provided at each cross piece with one of the double earns 33 so as to operate simultaneously and equally upon each pair of arms 26. The cams 30 are of suitable length so as to gradually swing the arms 26 as the cams are shifted, and all of the cams 30 are inclined in one direction and are relativelypositioned on the rod 3! so as to move therewith for successively bringing into operation the corresponding points on all of the cams. The block or projection 32 is fixed upon the rod 3! at a suitable point, preferably at the rear end of one of the double cams 30, so that this block orprojection 32 may strike the adjacent cross piece l6 and constitutes a stop for limiting the releasingmovement of the rod' 3| with its cams.

A protecting plate 33 is provided for engagement along one side of the expansion joint strip 22 to hold the same'to' shape, and this protecting strip 33 has slots 34 therein extending down wardly from the adjacent openings 29, so that the protecting plate 33 may be slid upwardly from engagement with the transverse dowel bars 23 at times. The upper end of the protecting plate 33 is turned over to provide a cap 35adapted to embrace the upper end portion of the strip 22 and the cap 35 may have openings therethrough for the reception of detachable nails or pins 36 used for holding the strip 22 in the cap and against one side of the protecting plate 33.

The double cam 38 is U-shape and. opens downwardly to receive the cap 35 and the upper end of the strip 22 and also for the purpose of carrying, at one side of the operating rod 3!, an inwardly swinging hook 31 proportioned to engage beneath the free edge portion of the cap 35 at one side of the strip 22, so as to hold and. support the strip 22 with the protecting plate 33 directly from the frame structure.

It will be noted from Figures 1, 2 and 3, that H the side strips l5 of the holder frame are of less length than that of the longitudinal dowel bars 20 and are of substantially v-length of the joint strip 22 with its protecting plate 33 and cap 35.

This proportioning of par-ts is provided so that the longitudinal dowel bars 25 may be successively overlapped in the road structure, particularly when a number of theholding devices are disposed end to end. With this structure when the frame is removed from one set of bars and them to swing inwardlyout of, or substantially out of, the seats I9. The arms 25 are fiat and are braced fiat against the side of the cross piece 16 so that the arms move substantially in a common transverse plane. The cross dowel bars 20 are now placed in the seats l9 above the longitudinal bars 25 and the latter are engaged with the fingers za- 'or the arms 26 when the operating rod 3| may be driven or otherwise movedtoward the operating position. This-'operative 'movement of therod 3| 'bringsthe outer'eams into-sliding contact acrossthe inner ends of :the arms 2-6,forc- Whenthe bars are tional locking means for holding the bars 'in raised position. In'placing the transverse bars in the seats, the bars '20 are engaged through the-openings '29 in the joint -strip 22 soiha't' the latter is 'move'dup into positionasthe bars are raised andthe hook 31'has'an inclined lower 'face adapted to slide over the cap 35 and permit the hookto latch beneath the free edge of'the cap to support the protecting plate 33 with the'strip 22 from'the central portion of the holder.

The holder with the bars and strips thereon may be set up immediately upon the subgrade, or at one side of the road and then transported in the proper position on the subgrade. The road material is filled in about the frame and the bars and against the joint strip 22, and when conditions permit, the frame may be withdrawn I from the strip and the bars to leave them in proper position embedded in the roadway material. When the frame is to be released, the operating rod 3| is shifted, by impact of a shovel or other suitable tool or implement against the block 32 into position to retract the cams 30 from the arms 26. When the cams are fully retracted, the hooks 31 may be swung upwardly out of engagement with the cap 35 and the frame then lifted. The Weight of the rods and 20 together with the drag of the settled road material thereabout, swings the outer ends of the arms 26, if freed from the cams 30, downwardly so as to release the rods and the joint strip 22 from the frame. The frame may now be raised out of the road material and the joint strip and the dowel bars may be left in their proper relative positions embedded in the road material. It will be noted that in this operation the protecting plate 33 has been left in engagement with the expansion joint strip 22 so that the latter is protected against distortion incident to screeding and other operations upon the road.

After the operation on the road material the pins or nails 36 may be withdrawn from the cap 35 and the latter with the protecting plate 33 may be raised out of the road material so as to leave the joint strip in proper position therein. On the other hand, if desired, before the frame or holder is removed from the road material, the hooks 31 may be swung downwardly and when locked with the cap 35 and the pins 36 may be either left out of the cap 35 or withdrawn before the road material is entirely filled in thereabout. When the frame is lifted the cap 35 with the protecting plate 33 is withdrawn from the joint strip 22 and the transverse dowel bars 20.

Of course in case the cap strip 35 is to be removed at all times with the body or main frame by certain contractors, in such case the cap strip 35 may be fastened integrally to the cross piece ll of the frame preferably by welding the plate 33 at the margin of the slots 2|. Thus the cap strip 35 and the supporting plate 2| may be used practically as a part of the main frame itself. The latch 31 may be omitted in this instance, but may of course be used when the protecting plate 33andthecap '35 are'detachable from the frame.

As shown in Figure 4, in order to properly spacethe frame with the dowel bars '20 and 25 thereon from the sideform 38 of the roadway/a spacing-hart!) of suitable length'is used. 'This spacing bar39has sockets 40 and lhat opposite ends which open downwardly and respectively engage over the upper edge of the side strip l5 of the-body frame and the upper edge of the side 7 form '38. 'This insures the correct positioning and-alinementof the dowel bars in the finished road structure.

*What is claimed is:

1.In a dowel bar and expansion joint strip 'holder a frame having a cross piece thereinfisa'id cross piece having an intermediate slot opening through the lower edge thereof to receive a joint strip therein, said cross piecehaving a=recessat the upper end of said slot, said frame having transversely alined seats for receiving cross'bars therein, longitudinal Ybars disposed at opposite sides of the frame, a pair -'of arms pivotally mounted on the cross piece with outer ends for engaging the longitudinal bars to support the same and said transverse bars in the seats, and a double cam slidably disposed in said recess of the cross piece with cam portions in sliding contact with the upper ends of said arms for operating the same upon the shifting of the double cam.

2. In a dowel bar and expansion joint strip holder, 2. cross piece having a vertical slot therein for receiving a joint strip and having a recess opening into the slot at the upper end of the latter, a pair of bar engaging arms pivotally mounted on the cross piece and having inner ends extending toward said recess, and a double cam disposed in said recess adapted to bridge the upper end of the joint strip and said recess being shaped to the exterior configuration of the cam for holding and guiding the same for movement through the recess, said cam adapted at opposite sides to engage the said inner ends of the arms.

3. In an expansion joint strip holder, a frame having a cross piece therein, said cross piece having a vertical slot for the reception of a joint strip, a protecting plate removably disposed in the slot and having'a cap at its upper end, said plate and cap adapted to engage against one side and about the upper edge of a joint strip to reinforce and support the same during pouring and partial setting of road material, and a latch carried by said cross piece detachably engaging the cap to remove the same and the plate from the joint strip when embedded in the road material.

4. A holder as specified, comprising a frame having a cross piece with a vertical slot therein for the reception of a joint strip, a cam slidably disposed through the upper portion of the cross piece and the latter having a cam receiving recess of the configuration of the cam for guiding and supporting the same, operating arms pivotally mounted on the cross piece at opposite sides of the cam and having upper ends disposed in the path of the cam, a protecting plate for engagement against the side of a joint strip and having a cap at its upper end for engagement over the upper edge of the joint strip, means for detachably securing the joint strip to the cap, and a latch carried by said cam for detachable engagement with said cap for coupling the same together with the joint strip to said frame.

5. In a dowel bar and expansion joint strip holder, a frame having a plurality of transversely 'said cams for supporting a joint strip in position relative to said bars.

6.In a dowel bar and expansion joint strip holder, a frame, individual dowel bar carrying means on the frame, an expansion joint strip protecting plate for engagement against the side of a joint strip and having a cap portion at its upper edge detachably connected to the strip, and a single releasable device movable along the frame for engaging said cap portion of the plate and said individual dowel bar carrying means for suspending dowel bars and the joint strip in the frame and for quickly and simultaneously releasing the same. n

7. A portable holder'for dowel bars and expansion joints, comprising a channeled central member extending longitudinally of the holder and opening downwardly for receiving a joint strip therein, means for holding the joint strip in the channeled member, a plurality of spaced apart transversely disposed cross pieces mounted on the channeled member, side plates secured across the ends of the cross pieces in spaced relation at opposite sides of the channeled member and having rod receiving sockets in their lower edges, means for holding dowel bars in said sockets and in crossed relation on the side plates, and a single operating means connected to the joint strip and bar holding means for admitting simultaneous release of the joint strip and the dowel bars from the holder for withdrawal of the latter. 7

JOSEPH WILLIAM HELTZEL. 

